Scenario 2: The Effect of Firing the Program Manager on Staffing for the Second Phase of the Project

Additional Scenario Information Work is well underway. A Task Management Educational Plan is being written to articulate the scope, work breakdown, processes, schedules and assignments at each project phase. This plan must be done within the first month of the project start date. DRA PS hired a new program manager from outside the organization to oversee the new project. DRA PS hired her based on her college degree and years of experience in the field and needs her to get up to speed quickly. An existing program manager who worked on the project proposal and who has met the client is assigned the project’s principal instructional designer. Client’s Requirements The client expects the program manager to conduct weekly status meetings with them; communicate with them on a daily basis through e-mails and telephone calls; and to meet established deadlines for product delivery. The client will conduct quality assurance reviews immediately to keep the schedule on time. Schedule and Workload Requirements The team is organized into three divisions: course development, marketing, and web site development. Each division has a lead team member. The program manager has oversight of the entire project. The web site must be designed and launched two months after the project start date. A marketing plan and branding campaign must be designed before the web site can launch. Marketing products must be ready for distribution at the same time as the web site launch. The first course must be delivered at the start of the fourth month from the project start date. The course review and rehearsal must be ready two months after the project start date. © 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 9 Analysis work for the second course must start two months after the project start date. Program Manager’s Actions The program manager seems friendly but does not seem to be leading the team. She holds weekly status meetings with the client but doesn’t say anything during those meetings. She responds only by e-mail to client communications and calls only to confirm meetings. The client is not impressed with the program manager’s performance and notices that the lead instructional designer is actually filling both the program manager and instructional designer roles. One month into the project, the client mentions the program manager’s performance to the vice president of the division. The vice president promises to talk to the program manager and help her improve her performance. By the end of the second month, the analysis for the second course has started. The first course is ready for review and rehearsal, which means all materials have been developed and are ready for instructor review. The preliminary branding campaign was completed, marketing materials are ready for approval, and the first version of the web site has launched. The vice president of the division phones the client and asks for feedback on the project accomplishments to date and the program manager’s performance. The client praises the progress made in such a short time but thinks it has happened in spite of the program manager. The client informs the vice president that the program manager missed the deadline for delivery of the Task Management Educational Plan. When it was finally delivered, the client sent it back as unsatisfactory. Also, the client feels that the program manager has been uncommunicative; she has not said a dozen words in the past eight weekly progress meetings. The client is not pleased with the program manager’s performance. At the end of the third month, DRA PS decides to replace the program manager. In spite of this, team leaders have made sure that the first course is ready, the web site is launched, and the marketing plan is developed and implemented on schedule. A new program manager is needed right away.